Schalke shaker as Chelsea hang on in Jose's shadow but lose Cech

A little over three years ago, in this stadium, Mourinho outwitted Monaco and secured the European Cup for Porto with a handsome 3-0 victory.

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Well, Chelsea could have played until next week and they would still not have scored here.

Rolling over the chocolate soldiers of Leicester, Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Bolton is the minimum requirement for any Chelsea manager.

Having the tactical nous to outwit the best teams in European is another.

Chelsea are only ever one game away from a crisis and this was as close as it has come under their Israeli manager.

Grant, and his team, had no answers to Schalke's enterprising display. Neither did Henk Ten Cate, the fabled Dutch coach brought into lead them to European Cup glory and beyond.

Schalke were superb, Chelsea were shocking. Yes, it really was that bad.

Struggling to make an impact in the Bundesliga after losing their last four games, they surrendered early territorial advantage but they refused to surrender the tie.

Mirko Slomka's side had been reduced by injury — he could only name five substitutes — but they wanted to hit Chelsea where it hurts — on the break and at breakneck speed.

Alex, so impressive at the heart of Chelsea's defence in recent weeks, gave away two clumsy fouls on the edge of the box in the opening 10 minutes but Schalke could not find a way past Petr Cech from two free-kicks outside the box.

Grant's side, on the verge of progressing to the last 16, were nervous. Despite stringing five across their midfield, Chelsea threatened to push the panic button.

Joe Cole, restored to the right in place of Shaun Wright- Phillips, looked like a lost soul at times and Florent Malouda was missing the magic touch.

Jermaine Jones provided the ring of steel in front of Schalke's defence and he attached himself to Lampard like glue. Wherever the Chelsea skipper went, so did Jones.

It has taken six years, but maybe someone has finally worked out how to play the midfielder. Some gameplan, but Schalke should have sneaked ahead.

They were magnificent on the break, flooding past Chelsea's fluorescent shirts and threatening the usually reliable Cech.

Didier Drogba had been denied the opening goal when Manuel Neuer pushed the Chelsea's striker's effort around the post but then Schalke, beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month, settled into their stride.

Cech saw Heiko Westermann's effort late and did well to turn the left-back's effort around the post, but the onslaught had only just begun.

Soren Larsen, preferred up front to former Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands, hit the side netting midway through the first half and Westermann had another effort beaten out by Cech.

It was stirring stuff from a team struggling to kick start their season in the Bundesliga and Chelsea had clearly underestimated them.

Chelsea could barely muster a shot. Drogba shot wildly over the crossbar — more in frustration than with any realistic prospect of find a way past Neuer — but it summed up Chelsea's performance.

They were rattled, no doubt about it. Juliano Belletti, who scored at Wigan last weekend with a magnificent effort with the outside of his right boot, struggled to contain the runs of Mesut Ozil.

Cole, on the right and with licence to raid down the wing whenever Chelsea were in possession, took time to settle. When he did, he was electric.

He slipped the ball into the path of Belletti to cross in the closing stages of the first half, but the Chelsea full back failed to find his target.

Chelsea had finally found the chinks in Schalke's armoury, but they could not beat Neuer. Drogba's effort was straight at the keeper's chest and Lampard, who had scored four times in his previous two games, sent a left foot effort wide of the target.

Chelsea emerged after the break with Cudicini in goal. Chelsea officials claimed Cech may have injured his calf muscle in the first half.

Cudicini is an adequate replacement but Schalke were quick to test the substitute keeper. Whenever they had the ball, they attacked with pace down both wings and threatened to break Chelsea's resistance.

Belletti, who scored the winning goal for Barcelona in the final two years ago, never quite got to grips with Ozil. The Schalke winger must wish he played against Belletti every week and he turned his man time and again. Chelsea were in bits, struggling to find their rhythm and struggling to find a way to stop Schalke's rampaging runs.

Claude Makelele, once the warrior in the Chelsea team, gave the ball away too easily in midfield and the bulldozer Michael Essien was too sluggish to stop Schalke pouring forward.

In the end, they were queueing up to test Cudicini. Rakitic's effort was turned around the post and Rafinha's lob came back off the crossbar.